


Sleepwalker

by Hollow_Fan_Soul_55



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Dreamsharing, Multi, Protective Jason Todd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 21:53:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18821473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hollow_Fan_Soul_55/pseuds/Hollow_Fan_Soul_55
Summary: Jason Todd shares his dreams with Tim Drake, a one-way peek into his new neighbor’s life. He didn’t expect them to intertwine so much. So what happens when Jason starts meeting Tim in real life? How could this change things? And in true Gotham fashion, how could this gift be twisted by a laugh?





	1. Dream Boy

The dreams are strange. He doesn’t understand them when he’s young. But most things in his life are strange, so he shrugs them off.

When he dreams, he dreams of a boy with white porcelain skin and wide blue eyes. Dreams of dark gothic architecture and gargoyles shrouded in shadows — places he now sees as familiar but hadn’t when they started. Familiar _high_ places. He dreams of a large camera in small hands and a _flash_ of dull light.

Then there are other times when he dreams about empty halls and suffocating silences. Of disapproving frowns and harsh reprimanding words, followed by rare moments of stilted affection, and then silence all over again.

Stuff Jason then and now shouldn’t really be dreaming about, for obvious reasons. But, try telling that to his _dreams._

He dreams of the black haired boy in odd places such as a high ledge overlooking the largest room Jason had ever seen before moving in with Bruce, or teetering and swinging from atop a chandelier twenty feet up with no obvious way of getting there, lounging like it’s a normal thing to do.

One time, even, it was a small little alcove in a large room, and the other of him spread across a tree branch reading.

And like a fool, when he was younger, he thought they were actually _just_ dreams. Jason’s reasoning was that _maybe_ that’s how he wanted to live, a small part of his subconscious.

But after Bruce took him in and he started going out as Robin, Jason realized something **very** important. The boy is always out in the darkness and smog that Gotham seems to _breathe,_ tucked in little places that the boy seems to always be in. Insignificant in of themselves — huddled up beside a broken fire escape and a dumpster, leaning back in a bundle of clothes that still seem too thin compared to the billows of foggy breath that comes out from under his scarf as he sits atop a water tower, or on the higher building across the street from the police station.

But put it into context…

Jason often wakes up and wonders what the boy takes pictures of and _who's letting that small boy out in Gotham’s darkness alone!?_ Because judging by his house, the boy’s parents have to be near _Brucie_ level rich.

Years go by, wondering. And then one night…Robin finds out.


	2. Bird Watcher

Jason sighs heavily, leaning up against the ledge and crossing his arms over his chest while Bruce ‘talks’ with Commissioner Gordon in hushed voices and monosyllabic grunts relating to the most recent escape of Poison Ivy.

Bruce’ll be talking _forever,_ and that leaves Jason with nothing to do but sigh over and over while scuffing the roof with his boot.

He doesn’t know what makes him look up at the building across the street –maybe it’s Bruce’s paranoia starting to rub off, maybe it’s his own instincts prickling, or maybe it’s the aftermath of his dream a few nights ago where the blue-eyed boy nearly fell off a _very tall_ building– but when he catches a glimpse of something small and fast darting away from the edge, he _knows._

“Heya, B!” Bruce’s shoulders pinch and he turns away from Gordon slowly, giving Jason a blank look which he returns with a wide, crooked smile — cocking his hip and watching Bruce’s face _twitch._

Small things, the small things in life make it worth it. “I’m gonna go check somethin’ out so you and the commish can talk.”

Jason almost cackles when Bruce’s shoulders slump under the cape ever so slightly. Just enough for Jason to know what Bruce is going to say, but not enough for Gordon to notice. Though, maybe he does and just doesn’t mention it?

“Just stay close, Robin, don’t wander off.”

_Victory!_ Jason mockingly salutes Bruce and leaps off the building with his grapple drawn, flying up quickly. His feet hit the gravel roof silently and he scrutinizes the air conditioning units and the large water tower, nearly missing the small body squeezed into the corner of a brick ledge under the tower.

Big blue eyes stare back at him from under long black bangs and a big, dull red sweater hood.

“It- it’s not what it looks like!” The boy stutters out in a squeaky voice, clutching at this big old camera the size of his fucking _chest,_ tucked between his knees and stomach as he hunches over it.

“And what does it ‘look like,’ kid?” Jason growls, fists clenching when he sees that there really isn’t anyone else with the boy. Damn, he was hoping they were just out of sight in the dreams.

He snaps his head up when the pathetic whimper.

_Shit._ Jason groans, running a hand through his hair, wincing as the gauntlet pulls at it. “Look, kid, I’m sorry for snapping–”

“Tim.”

Jason stops and blinks slowly. He can _feel_ the wide smile spread across his face. The boy, _Tim,_ looks up with wide eyes that aren’t quite as scared and a bit more awed than before.

“Tim.” Jason amends, “Why are you out here, exactly?” Tim’s face shutters closed, becoming a blank slate that reminds Jason too fucking much of Bruce when Dick comes over to be on the boy’s face.

“I…I–” a thick swallow, eyes darting to the ledge Bruce could be coming over any second, then back at Jason.

Jason squints his eyes at that since Tim shouldn’t know Bruce was talking with Gordon unless he had– “Taking pictures,” Tim mumbles, head ducking down so the hood shades his face and his mouth is under the fabric. Jason gives the boy props for not stuttering, but this is getting Jason nowhere but more questions.

He wants to _be_ somewhere.

Jason opens his mouth –maybe to ask where Tim’s parents are, or maybe demand he stays _home_ where it’s _safe_ – but he’ll never know what he might’ve said.

“ _Robin._ ” Jason spins around at Bruce’s disappointed ‘Batman’ voice, his body automatically puffing up at the tone. Defensive even though he wasn’t _even doing anything, god, Bruce!_ “Come on,” he turns to face the ledge behind him, “Let’s get back to patrol.” Jason’s half expecting Bruce to see Tim over in the corner, but the small kid is completely silent.

Jason has two real options here: tell Bruce…or _not_ tell Bruce.

On one hand, if Jason tells Bruce about Tim, there’s a good chance Tim will be ordered to stay at his house. And Jason has a feeling Tim would follow an order even if Bruce told the kid to never step outside again or to hand over the camera. On that same hand, Jason knows what Tim’s house is like and it’s not a place he wants Tim to be stuck in. A cold mausoleum masquerading as a home.

But, on the _other_ hand, this could be some elaborate test Bruce set up for him and if he doesn’t mention Tim, he’ll be benched for a week and get another lecture.

Or, worse yet, it _isn’t_ and Tim’ll avoid him even _more_ and Jason will never find him _or_ be able to punch his stupid ass parents in their stupid faces. Because face it. If Tim, this tiny little boy, can hide from Bruce and Dick — him too, if not for the dreams. Tim could honestly hide from Jason without a problem and he’ll have to live with seeing Tim hiding in the dreams and having been _right there and not **seeing** him._

“Robin?” Jason jerks away from Bruce’s hand on his shoulder and takes a step back, making Bruce frown in worry.

“I’m fine, B. Just tired.” Jason shrugs Bruce’s concern off and fires his grapple. Listening closely as Bruce follows after him. Bruce’ll probably make him take patrol off tomorrow to ‘catch up on sleep,’ which will give him the perfect chance to sneak out and find Tim.

~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~

Jason wasn’t able to find Tim, and Robin flew again two days later.

~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~

“You didn’t tell Batman?”

Jason curses, jerking his head around to find _Tim_ sitting behind him. Tiny Tim — who shouldn’t be able to sneak up on him, or climb up into the rafters of a warehouse so silent and easily.

“Shit, kid! How’d you get up here?!” Jason hisses, mindful of Two-Face’s goons below while turning around to face him. The kid he couldn’t find!

Tim tilts his head to the side, “Why didn’t you tell _Batman_ about me?”

“Because what Batman doesn’t know won’t hurt him! Now, what’re you doing here!?”

Tim tilts his head even further and scoots back into the shadowy corner faster than Jason felt comfortable with. He just…turned on a dime and crawled like it was nothing.

“Robin.”

He hisses a ‘ _fucker_ ’ before looking up and over his shoulder to see Batman staring at him from the shut skylight. “ _Focus._ ”

Jason’s honest to fuck _floored._ Bruce really didn’t know about Tim! There’s no way he’d be letting the kid into a situation like this where one stray bullet could _end him!_

“Sorry, B.” Jason’s attention is split for the rest of the bust: mind half on the fight, and the other half on Tim. It doesn’t take too long, and when the echoing sound of gunfire ends, Jason takes a peek up at the rafters while Bruce starts zip tying the thugs up.

There’s nothing there.

_Shiiiiiiiit!_


	3. Reveal

Robin doesn’t see Tim for a full _week_ after that, and boy does he look. Right when he’s at his wits end with no leads or dreams…Jason _does._

Jason is dressed up in a penguin suit sulking in the corner as ‘Brucie’ schmoozes with the high-class crowd. He didn’t want to _be here!_

He’s scanning the room for anything possibly fun – _ha haha hahaha!!_ – to do when he spots him.

Tim is standing politely beside a tall woman wearing a deep blue dress, smooth brown hair down over her shoulders. The woman was talking with a short, pudgy man flashing his expensive trinkets.

Tim — the same boy who goes out at night to take pictures, yes, that one, is standing in one of the elites fancy schmancy charity galas! Fucking score!!

The kid must’ve felt Jason’s eyes on him because he turns and stares directly at Jason. He watches the boy’s eyes widen slightly, followed by his head tilting in confusion before gently tapping the woman’s waist.

She doesn’t look down at Tim right away, still talking with the man about something. As soon as she dismisses the man with a flick of her wrist and a frigid smile, she turns that same smile down at Tim.

Tim plasters a painfully fake smile on his face and seems to ask a polite question before receiving an okay and gliding toward the buffet table and away from the woman.

Jason pushes off ‘his section’ of the wall —— his only because none of the adults want anything to do with Brucie’s ‘charity case numero dos’ —— and weaves his way through the crowd of adults in expensive dresses and suits. Jason honestly doesn’t expect to find Tim still at the table, but when he steps up to the small pastries…Tim is just standing there with a small plate loaded up with them.

Tim doesn’t startle at Jason’s appearance, only moving the plate towards him with a small smile. “Hi, I’m Timothy Drake, but you can call me Tim.”

Jason reaches out and grabs a small danish. _Hey, don’t judge. The kid’s got plenty and he offered!_

“Jason Todd.”

“I know.”

Jason raises an eyebrow at Tim’s quick answer. “Course you do, kid. So, what’re you doing here at this thing?”

Tim scans the crowd and turns back to Jason, shrugging. “My mom and dad are here.” Maybe it’s written on his face how confused he is because Tim flushes scarlet. “Jack and Janet Drake, the owners of Drake Industries?”

Oh… _fuck._

Jason snaps to look at the woman –Janet _Drake_ – and just……stares. Janet Drake is arm in arm with a slightly taller man Jason figures is Jack Drake. He looks back at Tim and finds the kid staring at him, and the only sign of his discomfort is the slight twitch in his fingers. Not his face like a normal kid would, no, _that_ stays a polite mask.

And why wouldn’t he be uncomfortable? To Tim, Jason Todd is just a wealthy boy of Brucie’s that happens to be his semi-close neighbor. Jason Todd hasn’t talked to him in the darkness of Gotham. That was Robin.

“Heh,” Jason rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “I guess that should’ve been obvious, with the whole last name thing, huh.”

Tim smiles back easily, “Maybe just a little.” Jason smirks back and snatches another danish from the kid’s plate.

Jason finds it easy talking with Tim, the links and connections to things he makes are genius, and Jason is surprised Tim hasn’t already started crime-fighting on his own.

“It’s obvious,” Tim says, looking slightly preened. “It’s clearly Penguin. Since Mister Cobblepot is hosting a rather sudden party at his new place of business.”

“What, no!” Jason cries. “It’s Calendar Man, it can’t be anyone but him!” Tim’s clearly not _seen_ a calendar recently, or it would be obvious.

“But they’re working together,” Tim says as if it’s common knowledge. “I saw Mister Day talking with Mister Cobblepot when my mom and dad took me with them to the Iceberg Lounge when they talked with a partner of DI. They were talking quietly and passing papers for a long time. Calendar Man’s just an obvious choice to hide Penguin’s plans. Nothing bad, of course, since the only thing that really needs a distraction would be the penguins coming in for the zoo that he probably wants.”

Jason’s shocked at the clearly well thought through stuff, but Calendar Man’s never done business with Penguin, and the clues are _right there_ unlike Tim’s strange idea.

~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~

Batman and Robin caught Calendar Man, but several of the younger Chinstrap penguins are found missing from their transport ship the next morning.

Jason could only stare at the newspaper the following day in shock.

Tim had been right, and Jason’s curiosity was peaked all over again.

~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~_~~

“What are you doing here?!” Jason hisses, pulling Tim back away from the dormant Venus flytraps. Bruce had told him to keep an eye on the plants since Ivy didn’t usually strike in winter as often, but they were getting close to the more occupied sections of Robinson Park.

Buuuuut was not nearly far enough for Tim to be this close.

“I was taking pictures,” Tim mutters, bringing his camera up to look at the plant that seemed to sway and wave at the smaller boy.

Jason’s just glad it hadn’t eaten him.

“Ivy’s _pets_?! That’s what you decide to take pictures of? Are you _crazy_!”

Tim looks sullenly up at him, not trying to stand up or get Jason to let go of his coat collar. “Miss Isley doesn’t mind, I asked, and she said as long as I’m nice and polite to them that I could take my pictures whenever I want.”

The boy in his dreams is a nutcase, how hadn’t Jason seen that yet? He should’ve, right?

“You _asked_ Poison Ivy…if you could take pictures of her _man-eating monstrosities_?”

Tim gasps loudly. Scandalized, for some reason, and slips out of his coat to move back between him and the plants which were now lowering and barring their weird mouths in snarls.

“You can’t say that to them! They’ve got feelings, y’know, and it’s rude to call living creatures monstrosities. That’s mean.”

Jason yanks him back before they can lunge, it looked like they were going to let him get close and Jason isn’t going to let Tim go. The plants lurch and blades of grass start sucking at his boots, but nothing happens to Tim.

The boy just twists out of his grip and runs over to the flytraps, cooing and saying meaningless crap that makes the plants sway and bob up and down. The grass even stops sucking at his boots, which has Jason staring openly.

The kid pretty much just talked down _Ivy._

Dream-boy-Tim is the biggest mystery of Jason’s **life**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all I've got for a while, thanks for givin 'er a shot!


End file.
